Attack of the Job

Securitas is at it again.  Apparently their Microsoft account has a hard time holding on to their scapegoated account managers, because they are hiring again.  (Most likely this job is in South Seattle, NOT where they say it is on the craigslist post.  Why the deception?  It's Securitas - why not?):
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/sec/2502780965.html

Last time I interviewed for that job it was worded exactly the same way.  I made it through 5 interviews and was offered a $60k salary, only for them to reneg last second before I met to sign on the dotted line and begin training.   For more information on how to interview with these types, check out: http://seattlesecpro.blogspot.com/2010/10/deadly-questions.html

Symbol of the Fedora

In Noir films, the Fedora is a symbol of the heroic private detective.  IMHO this "PI" icon is the most professional stereotype in the security industry.  Surveillance is increasingly becoming more important for security officers, and the PI stereotype simply works better for us than the alternative "mall cop" stereotype promoted by Hollywood.

Graphic novel illustrator and author Brian Thompson works in the security field, and literally embraces the Fedora for more practical reasons.  He created the following document which humorously explains why: The Case for the Fedora.pdf

Free Online Emergency-Management Training

There is free FEMA training in emergency management (National Emergency Management System or "NIMS") provided through their website.  The courses are actually online, including the paperwork you need for certification, and including printing out your certification on your own printer: http://training.fema.gov/IS/NIMS.asp

These are some nice bullet points for your security resume.

Surveillance Detection 101

I am not going to get into WHY security would want to do surveillance detection, OR what to do with information gained from surveillance detection.  Those are separate from "how to do surveillance detection," which is what this blog-post is going to be about.  I am going to stay theoretical here, and give no real-life examples.

The concept is "how to watch the people who are trying to watch you."  Here is how it is done:

Step 1: Identify your major vulnerabilities.  These are the targets at your site most likely to be attacked. Keep this number small, vandals or terrorists will want a big pay off for their efforts, so your are talking about only one or two targets here.

Step 2: Identify your hostile surveillance positions.  A hostile surveillance position is any place someone can conveniently spy on your major vulnerabilities from.  It may be possible to rent a helicopter to spy on your facility, but it is not convenient.  Figure out which spots are realistic to use to spy on your vulnerabilities.

Step 3: Identify your red zone.  Your red zone is the line of site area between your hostile surveillance positions and your vulnerabilities.  Anything in the red zone is going to be seen by your enemies when they are spying on your vulnerabilities.

Step 4: Identify your surveillance detection positions.  A surveillance detection position is a place you can spy on a hostile surveillance position from, outside of your red zone.  These positions are key to being able to identify who's spying on you.

Step 5: Follow-through.  Once you have your surveillance detection positions, you need to coordinate your information and analyze it for suspicious patterns.  When gathering information you need to use a good cover, lest someone discover what you are up to: if someone discovers they are being viewed, they will cease to be viewable.  The most important rule is "don't get caught," even if your enemies don't see you, anyone from a drug dealer to a law enforcement officer could have a very big problem with your spy-vs-spy behavior if he discovers you.

Theoretical Example: 1981

Let's say you decide to do some surveillance detection for your own personal double wide.  First you identify that the thing most likely to be attacked on your property is your 1981 Pontiac Trans Am.  

Second you identify the area that it can be realistically be spied upon from.  There is a dirt road in front of your place, and you have a few neighbors across the street.  That street and their yards are what you identify as your hostile surveillance positions.

Third, your red zone then turns out to be your front yard and your double wide (which can't be missed when looking at your front yard,) and the street and yards of your neighbors.

Fourth, looking around the neighborhood you realize there are woods not far from your home where you can see most of your red zone and hostile surveillance points, and a fishing pond where you can see all of the rest.  The pond and the woods are now your your surveillance detection positions.

Fifth, you are avid outdoorsman anyhow, so you gather up your fishing gear, camouflage parka and bird watching binoculars and spend just a little more time at the woods and pond than you already do, taking careful notes on any suspicious activity.   You log suspicious activity in the January issue of Guns and Ammo, and realize after a few weeks that there are indeed teenagers checking out your Thunderbird on a regular basis.